Wednesday. February 18, 1981

The Herald and The Lantern

Cape Bird-Country Annual Event Since 1903

Page 27

by Keith Seager It’s 5 a m. and I’m awake before the alarm goes off. It’s still dark out and l haven’t looked outside to check the weather. It really doesn’t matter. I only hope it’s not raining or snowing. I put on my longjohns; I know it will be cold out. I’m doing what 56 other people are doing in Philadelphia, Villanova, Moorestown, and Cape May. Today is December 28 — the day for the National ^udubon Society’s Cape May Christmas Count. OUTSIDE, the weather is overcast, windy, and about 28 deg^es, not too bad. At least it’s not raining. I listen for the hooting of a Great Horned Owl. It doesn’t take long, it’s right on schedule. He’s been calling at this time of day for weeks. My first bird. I get in the car and drive to my territory. With coffee and a donut, I’m wondering if everyone is here from the cities. Some people drive over 100 miles to participate in this count. I hear two more Great Homed Owls, daybreak comes. Now to begin birding in earnest. A CHRISTMAS count is conducted within a twoweek period near the end of December throughout the United States. Each is held within a 7Mi mile radius of a given spot. The eerier for the Cape May count is Rio Grande. As compiler, I’ve divided the circle into 11 territories, each having

between one and parties of birders.

The purpose of the Christmas counts is to find as many species of birds that winter in our area and to count or estimate the numbers of each species

sighted. s .

AFTER TWELVE hours of birding, everyone meets and turns in their report. I tabulate all the sightings and make a final total of birds and numbers seen. The first count in Cape May was in 1903 and there’s been one ever since. The first count, held at Cape May Point, produced 37 species. Several years later it became more sophisticated and expanded to the radius

described above.

THIS YEAR’S count produced 151 species and has an accumulative list of 232 species. The Cape May count haS’ generally produced the most wintering species of birds in the state ani also in the

entire Northeast.

Occasionally bad weather conditions at Cape May will slip it into second place, with Brigintine Wildlife Refuge or a count on Long Island beating us

out.

EVERY YEAR we have a few rare and exciting birds spotted in our area. The last two years have produced a Bald Eagle sighting. We had gone 20 years without seeing one. The years and years of records from these counts help to show thfc population

four fluctuation of winterirt^f^ ^ niri.*r ir.

birds. Ducks are generally on a decline as are the Turkey Vultures. After severe winters some birds have a drastic drop in numbers. The following is this year’s count totals. The Audubon Society will publish a book in the summer of all counts made in the United States and in some foreign countries. About 30,000 people participate in these counts and more birders join every year: CAPE MAY CHRISTMAS COUNT Com Loon J. Rrd fhrootrd Loon 10. Hornnt Grrbr 13. Pled billed Grebe 27. Qannet 2. Gl Cormoranl 11. Dbl. creeled Cormoranl t. Gl Blue Heron IS, LI Blue Heron 2. Great Egret t. Snowy Egret I. La Heron 4. Bl. crowned Night Heron 20. Am, Bittern 7. Mute Swan 3, Canada Gooee 77. Bronf WOO. Snow Gooee 200. Mallard SS0. Black Duck 1315. Gadwall IS. Pintail II. Green winged Teal 2. HI win*«f Teal I. Am. Wff^on 31 N Shoveler I. Wood Duck 2. Bedhead 4. Canvaebaick 20. Gt Scaup 00. Leeeer Scaup IS, Com Goldeneye 31, BufPeheod IS2S. Oldequaw 47S. Harlequin 3. King Elderf)l. White winged S'cxder '23. Surf Scoter *, Black Scoter 33. Buddy Duck IS. Hooded Merg 30, Com Merg 2. Bed breailed ,Merg 121, Sharpihlnned 10. Coopen Hawk 2. Bed tailed 22. Bed. ihouldered I. Bough legged 7. Bald Eagle 2. Manh Hawk 02. and Merlin

2

And, Am Keitrel 34. flobwhilr rin* necked Pheaiant I, Clapper Bail 0. Virginia Ball I, Am Coot 14. Semtpalmated Plover 4. Kllldeer IS. Bl bellied Plover SO. Turmtone 240. Woodcock 33, Snipe 7. Wlllrt 2. Gl yellowlegt 10. Leuer Yellowlgi 2. Knot 2. Purple Sandpiper 4S0. Dunlin IS20. Short billed DowHchrr I. Semipalmated Sandpiper 2. »' Sandpiper 3, tanderling SIS, Gl bl borbrrt Gull 1300. Herring Gull 15000. Rinff bfllrd 2460. Bonapastei 73. Bock Dove STS. Mourning Dave 020. Barn Owl 4. Screech Owl 4. Gl Horned 7. Shori rorrd 0, Kingfiiher

Learning All About Wildlife

WASHINGTON, D C. - Is there an organization devoted to saving the trumpeter swan? Or one concerned with protecting American deserts’’ Who’s in charge of conservation in Sweden? Where are the U.S. National Seashores? The place to look for answers to all these questions is the National Wildlife Federation's Conservation Directory, now available in its 26th edition. THE NEW DIRECTORY’S 300 pages list about 12,000 individuals and about 1,800 organizations concerned with natural resource use and management — including the Trumpeter Swan Society and the Desert Protective Council. State, federal.

and Congressional officials, committees, and agencies involved with the environment and natural resources are also listed, along with international and national organizations, and such diverse U.S. and Canadian citizens' groups as the Florida Defefiders of the Environment and the Canadian Arctic Resources .Committee. Listings of the various groups include such information as names of directors, purpose of the groups, size, and names bf available publications.. THE NWF DIRECTORY also contains: a guide to major colleges and univer-sities-offering professional training for careers in conservation and environmen-

tal fields; lists of all National Wildlife Refuges, Parks, Forests and Seashores in the U.S 4 ; guides to available conservation periodicals, directories, and films; a list of the top conservation officials of 115 foreigri governments. The 1981 Conservation Directory is available by writing the National Wildlife Federation, 1412 16th St.’N.W., Washington, D.C. 2003?)

- bellied I. Hairy S.

Downy 40. Phoebe I. Homed Lark 7. Tree Shallow 4. Blue Jay 2IS. Crow SS0. Flfb Crow IS.Bl capped Chickadee 2S. Carolina ChiOkadee 200. Tltmouie OS '. Aho. Wh breaited Nuthatch II. Bed breailed S. Creeper 10. Winter Wren 3. Carolina Wren IS, Long billed M Wren I. Mockingbird 130, Catbird 0. B Thraiher 5. Robin 1/00. Hermit Thruih 12. Bluebird 14. Old crowned Kngtet II. Bb crowned Knglet 3. Pipit 23. C Waxwing », Starling 3000. Myrtle Warbler 425 'Wptrtj^W i, Yellowthroat I. H Sparrow 1200. Meadowlark 140. Bed winged tSO. Buity Rlk 03. Boat tailed 2SS, Com Grackle 32. Cowblrd 290 Cardinal 210. E GrotbeakOS. Purple Finch 42. Houie Finch M3, Pine Shkln 31. Goldfinch 4IS. Towhee 0. Sav Sparrow 77. Ipiwleh I. Sharp tailed 14. Seailde It. Junco 104. Tree 2. Chipping 4. Field IIS. White crowned 4. Whitethroated 77S, Fox 37. Swamp 31. Song 210, Lapland Longepur I and Snow Bunting IS .Keith Seager la president of the Cape May County

Geographic Society.

Sen otter: Vitkl Uink in Food Chain.

Importance of Oceans Stressed

Deep and mysterious, the world's oceans cover 7 per cent of the Earth’s surface. They are home to much of the world’s wildlife, and contain huge quantities of mineral resources. Because man’s future is linked to protection of the fragile ocean environment, the National Wildlife . Federation has chosen "We Care About Oceans" as the 1981 Wildlife Week theme. To help students understand this theme, the NWF. the nation's largest conservation education organizatiant has produced a Wildlife Week slide show, containing 53 full-color ' slides, a cassette recording - with a printed script, and a teacher’s guide with additional information. THE SLIDE SHOW illustrates man’s relationship to, and dependence on, the oceans — from early century wooden ship exploration to today’s hightechnology use of ocean resources. A look at many special marine habitats, such as estuaries, tidepools, and coral reefs, and the creatures that live •there, emphasizes the richness and diversity of the oceans. An explanation of the food chain in a kelp forest illustrates the fragility of the marine environment. For example, if sea otters, which feed on sea urchins, disappeared from the kelp forest, the NWF slide show explains, "there’d be so many f sea urchins eating the kelp that this underwater forest home of - hun-

dreds of animals might be destroyed." The sea dttfer is featured on the 1981 Wildlife Week poster OTHER SLIDES depict some of today’s ocean ♦pollution problems — oil spills and ocean dumping of sewage, chemical wastes, and dredged spoils ' from harbor bottoms The slide show emphasizes that if future generations are to enjoy the world’s oceans, we must learn to use ocean resources wisely We've already discovered many ways to take care of the ocean while we use Up

great gifts," the show concludes, "but there’s still # more much more — that responsible people mast do to keep the generoas ocean alive, healthy, and wonderful ” Although it is geared to the M&rch 15 thru 21 Wildlife Week observance and thpme, the NWF slide show fS suitable for showing to any audience at any time of year Copies are available for $9 95 by writing the National Wildlife Federation, 1412 16th Street, N W , Washington, I) C. 20036.

11 Eagles Sighted

extended spell ofievere cold weather, accompanied

TRENTON - Eleven bald eagles, a fpderal and state endangered species, were sighted in New Jersey during the third fannual wintering eagle survey conducted on Jan 9 and 10, according to the Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife. Two immature golden eagles

were also abserved

Coordinated by biologists of the Endangered Species Project, three cooperators and numerous volunteers performed the survey in conjurffction' with the National Wildlife Federation's Third Annual Mid-Winter

Bald Eagle Survey.

THE II BALD eagles were observed in New Jersey in the 1981 survey, and 16 were sighted during the 1980 survey period. An

by, a lack of open water, probably resulted in the decreased number of the fish-pating bald eagles sighted on Jan. 10 However, survey participants located nine additional -winTering bald eagles outside the official

survey time period.

Obsetvers counted four bald eagles and one golden eagle in coastal parts of Atlantic and Cape May counties, five bald eagles and one golden eagle.along the Delaware Bay in Cuhiberland county, and two bald eagles along the Delaware River in nor-

thwestern New Jersey:

Although about 5,000 bald eagles nest in the United States, New Jersey has on ly one remaining pair of

nesting bald eagles

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